Normally I wouldn't take much notice of the iMacs but this time they're different!

Two features noteworthy to photographers would be the introduction of desktop processors (about time! ), including the i5 750 and the i7 860. More interesting is the LED backlit IPS display which is probably a first to be bundled with a consumer desktop. Link

I was pretty surprised by the IPS screens. Great for photographers who want a simple setup with no fuss. Throw in some network drive backups (...maybe not timemachine aha) and thats a fairly full proof editing system especially on that 27 incher.

the 16:9 ratio is a bit meh, I like 16:10, its closer to 3:2 than 16:9 is, and if the screen can do good blacks then surely bit black at the top and bottom won't distract anyone.

Apparently the speakers on the 27 are much better too.

HOWEVER DO NOTE! The i5 doesn't have hyperthreading, so on multithreaded applications the i7 should have a fairly big performance boost from that. Shame they couldn't have dropped the i5s with hyperthreading in, for video editing/encoding thats a fairly big boost.

Orsan Kart. can I drool with you,
If you're an iPHONE user, the new magic mouse will convince you.
I know in December I'll own an iPHONE and iMAC 27'' I7... trust me I'll will not disappoint myself (I'm feeling kinda selfish during the holiday season)

I went to my local best buy to try out the new magic mouse and it was alright in terms of use. My only complaint is that its too thin to be as comfortable as possible. I think the version thats out now should be the "mobile" version and apple should make a thicker version for desktop users. as a laptop user I don't have much use for mice.

The 16:9 ratio is a bit meh, I like 16:10, its closer to 3:2 than 16:9 is, and if the screen can do good blacks then surely bit black at the top and bottom won't distract anyone.

Yea I hate 16:9 but that seems to be the way the industry is going and even the mighty Apple with their new mouse and all is powerless to stop it. I used to hate 16:10 but I now think its a nice compromise, hopefully we, the 16:9 haters, can get used to it too because it looks like it's here to stay until they start to push 21:9 for computers.

The 27"ers seem awesome; I suppose my nine year old will get the 24". The new video in feature seems interesting. Anyone know where the video in cable hooks up and what kind of a cable it utilizes?

The mini displayport at the back serves as video in and out you will need a special cable for video in and surprise surprice, it is proprietary. This means no running an external display while you use the iMac as a monitor but that doesn't make much sense anyway.

Starting at $1200? Lol, no thanks. I'll build an equivalent PC for around $800 and spend a bit on a great monitor then save the rest for photography equipment. If some company suddenly started making shiny white PC towers, Apple would be in some serious trouble.

Actually come to think of it, I'd rather upgrade to a D300s or buy a new lens and keep my current PC. $1200 is a lot of money.

The last thing I want to do is start a Mac PC thing. The Mac is an experience not a computer. Been using Macs since 1989 at home and PC's at work and there is no comparison of the two. I for one will line up for the $2300 machine not the 1299 machine. Macs are superior in every area other than price. The Walmart world we live in where inexpensive equates with good is sure to end soon as people are starting to see that longevity is a key. Snow Leopard has freed up 8gigs of hard drive space on my white 24" iMac and has made it appreciatively faster... when was the last time a Windows upgrade could boast the same, especially when installed on top of the previous OS? I am truly glad you feel the PC option is great for you, but as a person that values the experience I personally get on the Mac the price to upgrade will be we worth it. By the way the 24" iMac will be very useful for many years to come....

If you really know what you're doing on a PC you can build one yourself and make it last just as long as any Mac. The experience I prefer is starting from the ground up, making the computer exactly what I want it to be. Nothing is forced on me, and I can tune almost everything to my specifications. Some people prefer to not know anything about computers but still have a good time with them, that's where a Mac is great. But for people who want a ton of customization and performance at a cheap price, building a PC/Linux box from scratch is the way to go.

I'm not saying my way is the only way, just saying that I don't want to over pay for something that has average specs and zero customization potential. That's what you sacrifice when you want ease of use and simplicity.

I would never install an upgrade of an OS ontop of the current version. ever.

For the cost of the i7 iMac kitted out, I could build a far more powerful standard PC with a better screen.

And don't say its about the "experience" because the OS is less than £100, so thats all it should have off the cost of the system. At the end of the day, the computer is just as easy to use. its got USB ports, its got a keyboard, its got a mouse, thats all most people ever use.

Yeah the power per performance is the biggest issue I have with Macs, they just don't add up compared to PCs. I can understand the whole ease of use thing, but I'm not going to pay a huge amount to get it.